Luke 24:21, But we were hoping that it was He who was to redeem Israel.
Many people following Jesus had built up some serious expectations in terms of what “His kingdom” would look like. They saw His miracles and heard His messages but misunderstood His mission. They were expecting royalty, and instead, they were presented with a man who sat with sinners and touched the untouchables. There was so much about Jesus that went against everything they thought they wanted.
Following Jesus’ death, two men were walking down a road to their village, discussing all that had just taken place. They had hoped that this Jesus of Nazareth would be the One to rescue God’s people and to restore Israel to her former glory. Imagine their disappointment as He was crucified! He was supposed to be the Messiah and, yet, He died! It seemed that their long-awaited Savior had “people feet,” so to speak. What they had hoped for and what they actually got did not seem to be the same thing. It wasn’t until Jesus opened their eyes (Luke 24:31) that they were able to see the situation for all that it truly was.
Life will offer you many disappointments. There will be many scenarios which will leave you uttering the words, “But I had hoped …” But one day, thanks to His sacrifice, you’ll be in His presence and see Him as He truly is. On that day, there will be absolutely no disappointment.
